One athlete's sportsmanship won't soon be forgotten

As I'm writing this, it's been nearly 24 hours since the end of the state track and field meet.

It was an honor to have three News-Herald area state champions, one more than last year, and so many area standouts reach the podium, many for the first time.

With all due respect to those significant accomplishments, though, this particular state meet may be remembered in sizable part for one athlete's incredible gesture, an athlete who resides nowhere near our area but deserves a wealth of praise.

The Division III girls 3,200-meter run was finishing up, with Hawken's Ally Markovich winning her first career state championship and the 25th all-time for the N-H area powerhouse program. Of the 15 athletes entered, 13 had finished. And then the crowd rose to its feet in unison for this incredible moment, captured by my colleague Theresa Audia:

The athlete on the left is Meghan Vogel of West Liberty Salem, a school located in west central Ohio about 50 miles northeast of Dayton. The athlete on the right is Arden McMath of Arlington, which is about 15 miles south of Findlay. With about 50 meters to go, McMath's legs buckled and it was clear she would be unable to finish. Vogel, who had earlier won the D-III 1,600, was running in last and saw what was playing out in front of her. She came up right next to McMath and, well, you see the rest. The crowd grew louder as they both crossed the finish line, with Vogel allowing McMath to finish ahead of her.

In 13 years of covering area high school sports for The News-Herald, it's no exaggeration to say it's easily one of the most inspiring and emotional moments I have ever seen in any sport at this level.

Around the state, many media outlets, including The News-Herald, mentioned this incredible moment in their coverage, with similar sentiments to those expressed here. Vogel commented on her generous act to the Springfield News-Sun, telling the newspaper, "Helping (McMath) across the finish line was a lot more satisfying than winning the state championship."

Meghan, likely speaking for anyone who was there and anyone who will hear about this moment in the coming days, you're a two-time state champion in 2012 as far as we're all concerned.

Thats what America is all about.Meghan,you are my Hero!God bless you for your kindness to others, if only we could all be so caring to our fellow American brothers and sisters. K.P Williams yuba city,ca

Thanks Meghan and Arden! You ladies are wonderful examples of good sportswomanship. You performed mavelously in the "actual" arena - now carry forward this excellent example into the arena of life. We need more like you. Somehow, this Theodore Roosevelt quote seems fitting:

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

"Vogel, who had earlier won the D-III 1,600, was running in last and saw what was playing out in front of her." .........."Vogel commented on her generous act to the Springfield News-Sun, telling the newspaper, "Helping (McMath) across the finish line was a lot more satisfying than winning the state championship."

How sweet! The one LOSING, steals the limelight and becomes the TRUE CHAMPION of the competition.

I would have been more impressed and convinced, had she NOT MADE HER COMMENT TO THE Newspaper!!

That is an incredible story. Thank you Meghan Vogel for showing us what true sportsmanship is. I hope your act serves as a reminder for everyone that we sometimes need to stop and help those in need, be it someone with a car that is out of gas, someone needing food to survive, or even picking up someone who just doesn't have enough energy within them to cross the finish line.

It was a HS Track competition - she wasn't going to die from not carrying herself over the finish line. I would have been much more impressed by her carrying herself - buckling legs and all - over the finish line.

"Helping (McMath) across the finish line was a lot more satisfying than winning the state championship."

To the person above who criticized Vogel for that statement, you misunderstood and failed to comprehend the entire article.

Vogel had won the state championship in the 1600 meters earlier in the event. She was saying helping her fellow competitor cross the finish in the 3200 meter race felt even better than having won the 1600 meter race. She wasn't stealing anything from the "TRUE CHAMPION of the event" as you put it. If anything, she was diminishing her own victory and state championship title in the previous race.

John Landy, the current world record holder in the mile in 1956, stopped during a championship race to check on a fallen competitor and then when on to win the race. He sacrificed a chance to lower his world record. The young competitor he stopped to check on was Ron Clarke, a future legend in the sport.

This brought tears to my eyes. I love seeing stories like this. We are bombarded by stories every day about the worst in humanity--murders, torture, selfishness, depravity. It gives me at least a glimmer of hope for our species to see someone care about another human being this way.

And loath though I am to say it, Meghan gives me a lot more hope for the future than those of you who left the cynical comments above. Even when someone does something great, it amazes me that so many people still look for the cloud behind the silver lining. You should be ashamed of yourselves!

First you cross the finish line, THEN you help the other OPPONENT. THAT is what America is all about...or USED to be. What we have lost sight of in this country is that, while we are helping people get across the finish line, we are allowing others to cross before us. Pretty soon, WE will be the collapsed OPPONENT, and the rest of the world will be running by us giggling their asses off.

From the video it looks like they were running 14th and 15th anyway. Its not like they were running 1-2 and stopped to help. The girl who helped was in dead last. She sees 14th go down and figured "why not?" Its not like she was giving up a medal and now she looks like a hero. This is a stupid story.

The few of you who find fault with this girl's actions for helping are completely clueless. She spoke to the paper because the paper asked about the incident. In case you haven't noticed, actions like these in this generation, let alone in sports in general, are not common place. Thus, it is worthy of attention. And to the one who suggested that the one young lady just carry herself across the finish line...what a loser. Given the length of the race she likely had cramps and you likely have never exercised a day in your life. Pathetic.

Let's see, last place finisher helps struggling second to last place finisher over the line. I'm sorry I don't see the sacrifice here. That the writer sees this as "one of the most inspiring and emotional moments I have ever seen in any sport at this level" is preposterous and feel-goodism taken to its extreme.

I love the idiotic posts by whoever that "anonymous" is. Cynical, ignorant, stupid. And cowardly, too. You are willing to make stupid sniping comments about a wonderful young lady, but too chicken to post your name. Shame is not just upon you, it is fully within you.

This is sports. The lesson is supposed to be never quit! Even if you're not going to win, still finish up by giving it your all.

That girl quit in order to disqualify the girl who was struggling by helping her across the finish line. But as long has her intentions were good, and we all feel good about ourselves, then who needs to learn the harder lessons ..."who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. -Theodore Roosevelt".

I agree with the few here that see it as a bit of an empty moment. The runner subconsciously or consciously knows by helping this person that SHE will indeed get the spotlight, and not be listed as merely "2nd to last". This is a track meet; the girl was not running to save her life from militants. If she had a pain or something of that nature; then bow out of the race. No shame in that. Forced moments like this, I'm sorry, are not all that special in my opinion. If she was winning and did it, MAYBE it would be a bit different.

I can't believe the haters on here - maybe you didn't read the article? Vogel just got done WINNING the 1600m race a hour earlier - most runners wouldn't even both to attempt the double races at that level of competition

I can't help but think that the cold comments from "anonymous" readers come from those that have never been part of team or competed in an event where they were truly requried to give it their all

As one who ran distances in high school, way back when it was in yards instead of meters, (mile, two mile and cross-country) I can tell you this was not the BIG DEAL everyone is making of it. The race was over. Unlike cross-country, where the position of five team members count toward a total, in this race only the first three runners matter. On a personal level it may have been a nice thing to do, but really NATIONAL NEWS?? And why was she even in the race. She had tapped herself out winning the 1,600 meter race. At that skill level (4:58:31 sec.) she should have just stayed and cheered the others. Her last place position twenty yards from the finish proves that.

This young lady is the picture of a true team member. Those that have put her down for this act should be very ashamed of themselves. I would really rather have her as a team mate than the one that wants to win at all costs. One of the Anonymous posters ask "if the fallen competitor was behind her would she have turned around to go get her? Maybe she would be better as a nurse than a CEO." Stupid question, ms Vogel would not have seen what happened behind her you twit. I bet you voted for obumbler also...

I am a very close friend of Meghan and her family. Anyone who knows Meghan knows she was doing it out of kindness for a fellow runner. She said she wanted the fallen competitor to finish the race at the state meet. It means so much to compete at the state level and finish. It has nothing to do with her being in the limelight or not winning. She had already won the 1600 and was spent. She only wanted the fallen competitor to finish.Hard to believe so many people in this world can turn a beautiful gesture into something ugly.

The girl didn't 'QUIT' to disqualify another girl. The girl in peril officially finished ahead of the girl helping because the rules only disqualify a runner if a coach, parent, track official etc. interferes - but not another athlete competing in that event (if I understand it all correctly).

Every athlete in a HS state track meet is an elite athlete. Last place in the states is like first place just about anywhere else. State meets are where school records and personal bests are achieved. So it's beautiful that Meghan Vogel would honor her rival (who clearly gave it her all; hence the collapse) in this way. Cross country girls are quality people. That was always my experience.

I cannot believe some of you....this young lady (Mehgan) saw a competitor struggle and in the true meaning of "Sportsmanship" helped the competitor finish the race. ANYONE who sees anything wrong with this has no idea what sportsmanship means....I feel for you......Mehgan...great job and good luck in your future!..

As a high school track coach and high school educator (and someone from the Buckeye state who now lives and works in one of those dreaded football states down south) I love to see this unselfishness. In response to the critics, I can understand why you wouldn't want to stop and help someone (how many of you critics have been distance runners? We are extremely competitive - especially at this level of competition!). HOWEVER, if you are WILLING to stop and help your fellow man (or woman) - then by all means DO IT! As I teach my kids, running is important, very important. But running is more about life and learning to deal with winning as well as adversity. I'm sure both of these young ladies learned a lesson that is greatly more important to life than winning or losing this race. Finishing was the important lesson. By the way, congrats to all of the competitors. Just making it to this stage is a HUGE accomplishment that probably all of these posters have only dreamed of as very, very few competitors ever make this level of competition.

There was a time when winning one medal was enough - any medal, not just a Gold - and, when necessary, a true sportsman would step aside to accommodate another competitor as as when Lord Lindsay stepped aside so Eric Liddel could run in the 1924 Olympics.

We have become so greedy, yet so cynical.

My wife and I and our three children have all competed in something at the State or National Championship level. Some of us won, some lost, some scored, some failed in the breech - but we all played with abandon, and with gentility, and with humility.

What of the hundreds of opponents who never had a chance to compete - win or lose - in a Final?

The people commenting negatively about Vogel's actions are the typical sideline walkers and sports talk show callers -- they never competed in any meaningful sports activity in their lives, and only live vicariously off just the winners of such events. As such, their words, such as their miserable little lives, are worthless.

@ the genius who said "I would have been more impressed and convinced, had she NOT MADE HER COMMENT TO THE Newspaper!!" and the rest of the people who have decided to take a negative slant on this story... You are absolutely the problems with society today. A bunch of internet tough guys without any semblance of what it takes to be a true sportsman or even a decent human being.

When Jesse Owens gave advice to German long jumper, Lutz Long in the '36 olympics, would you have called him a Nazi sympathizer? When Jack Nicklaus picked up his opponents ball marker forcing the first tie in Ryder Cup history in 1969, to spare Tony Jacklin the embarrassment of missing a gimme putt, would you categorize him a wuss?

There are thousands of examples of good sportsmanship recorded throughout the years (and many more that go unrecorded). Only idiots and poor sports don't recognize them as such.

Perhaps if those critics hopped off the couch and participated in some form of organized competition, they might not be so quick to judge. Yes, please come back and tell me how you were all on your high school football team and you would have won state if the coach would have just put you in. I'll bet you could throw a football over those mountains, too... Now, you'd all better get back to your online bullying. I'm sure there are some other teenagers out there that you want to push around. We'll all be here, making fun of you.

I can tell you this was a great story in that the last two to run in one exhusted and the other still with some energy did not want to see her fellow runner be left on the field just like of military no one gets left behind. no one. I love it but not sure what the rules and regs are for this level of running but it sure did so how good people can be. I rather watch this then someone harm another person for no good reason. Good for you sweeties. Go America.

I'd love to get a look at some of these commenters somehow turning a small admirable moment into an ugly flamefest. Fat, stupid bumpkins typing away in mummy and daddy's basement, likely jobless and bitter with no one to blame. Forget them, Meghan. You'll leave all these worthless hayseed web trolls behind in life. They'll be lucky to get work at the cash register at the 7-11.

When the final evaluation of this incident is on the record what was DONE will be the only important fact of note. The lame opinions of those who pontificate on this small but touching show of compassion will be no more significant than a fart in a strong wind, and yes that includes this comment. What is important is that one human being showed concern and compassion for another and more impressively DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT. What the commenters who detract from this simple yet eloquent act fail to realize is they show their true colors with the blather the spew.

The comment (attacking Conservative Christians) could only be written by someone who when looking in the mirror sees only hatred.

I have competed at the College level in both Track and Cross Country, this young lady's Positive action is Not uncommon among competitors.

For those who think that winning is the only thing...well they have never competed, in athletics and life.

There are no losers among competitors...your very presence in the arena pushes you above those who dare not try. This moment that is being reported is a reminder to all of us who understand what this Country is really about. We strive to be our best....but we also stop to give a hand to those in need.

If you are one of those who can not see the beauty of this act...Well then this Conservative Christian will pray that your blindness falls away.

Pathetic, half of you. Survival of the fittest? It's a high school track meet, whatever title you want to put on it. Run people over? That isn't America....We work hard, we take responsibility and we DEFEND AND PROTECT the weak. She did what an American (in the best sense of the word) would do. What happened to community? What happened to sportsmanship? As for anonymous attacking Christians...I would not hesitate to say that the people castigating this girl for stopping ARE NOT Christians...I would say they are atheistic social darwinians....survival of the fittest is the socialist, darwinist ethos...not a Christian one. Good job to Meghan and to her parents for raising a compassionate human being.

From a soldier's perspective, I would hope the men and women to my left and right have the same innate qualities as this young lady. I find it funny that people say she did it for the limelight or that she should have been DQed etc. what I see is a person who saw a fellow athlete go down and helped her finish with dignity. Honor and integrity are admirable qualities.

The cynicism of so many commentators is remarkable. Unable to accept an act of charity without ascribing some type of ulterior motive they expose their own black heart for all to see. It is the cynics that reveal what is so deeply wrong with our modern society.

The moronic comments that cast a not so heroic spotlight on this great act of sportsmanship, are the same ones who put this country in the condition it is in. It is scary to thik that these people may or may someday be our leaders. WOW! What a bunch or morons. It doesn't matter if they were running in 100th place, they point is in principal. You help out those in need, not run over them. Grow up, please. By the (sportswomanship) is not a word...must be a womans liberator....sportsmanship is a general to indicate an act of behavior, please!.

"This story, having made it's way onto the Drudge Report has drawn the ire of the "Conservative Christian" fringe elements who see this event as an act as weakness."

Well, that's ignorant. Unless you can draw the connection between those who came here via Drudge or not AND can identify their religion (which you cannot) then don't assume it was a "Conservative Christian" who wrote the post - good or bad.

You obviously hate Conservative Christians and used this canard as a way to spew your hate.

This was a nice gesture, but is getting way overhyped. The young lady "sacrificed" finishing second-to-last in order to help the one who had fallen. Very nice thing to do. But I think people who are just looking at the headline or skimming probably think she gave up a first-place finish (or even a decent finish) in order to do this.

Great job, And it doesnt matter if they were last. They made it to STATE... which means they are the BEST out of thousands in that particular event. Geez, who is so ignorant and insecure that they have to attack CHILDREN to feel better about themselves. Hope your negative comments somehow make you feel better...

I would not have helped the collapsed runner. The non-collapsed runner had trained hard for the race and deserved to win. The fall of the other runner was not her fault. She was not obligated to help her and should not have.

I watched the video thought it was an impressive and unselfish act of sportsmanship. She saw a downed competitor and stopped to help. This is not a thought out act, it was a suddent act of character. Anyone who diminishes her act or speaks badly of what she did should re-evaluate their values and principles. All of you that have read all sorts of bologna into this should be ashamed. I feel sorry for you because you are so negative and cenical.

Kudos Vogel, you are to be commended and all athletes should look to you as a model of sportsmanship!!!!

As a former college distance runner and current distance runner and triathlete, I am happy to see this type of behavior. You do not have to be a jerk to be a competitor. This is what amateur sports is truly about, camaraderie, supporting your fellow athletes, and doing your best. Those that say otherwise have never competed and likely never trained for anything.

Take it from a "conservative Christian". I saw nothing in her behavior other than the selflessness of Jesus Christ. She showed compassion for a fellow competitor. She exhibited the notion of "Love thy neighbor as yourself". This young lady is an example of what as parents we all hope our children become. As a father I can only hope my children will be so noble.

To watch a kind spirit act in such a selfless way brought tears to my eyes.What a joy to watch such a beautiful spirit teach many what really matters.Why are so many touched by this selfless act? We witnessed the act of kindness at its Best in the midst of fierce competition at a high level.The young woman made the conscious decision to help another competitor finish the race.She shined as a great example of what a kind person is.We celebrate her kindness.

Whoa wait a minute here.. let's do without all the talk about politics and religion. Someone commented about "survival of the fittest" and called atheists immoral. I'm an atheist and couldn't disagree more with the "survival of the fittest" darwinian comment. This was a noble, selfless act and I'm proud to know that there are young, decent human beings in this world. Why would you bring religion or politics into this discussion of what this wonderful young woman did? It only divides this country and world. Just shutup and do the right thing.

Meghan exhibited the true meaning of sport and sportsmanship. This is what it is all about. Officially she may have finished last but in my book she is a WINNER. Congratulations to Meghan for her unselfish act.

For all you critics who say the runners should have been DQed, go back and watch the WOSN.tv video of the race finish. The video clip starts BEFORE Arden falls, and it clearly shows that one of the track officials who is near Arden begins to move toward her after she falls. When he sees that Meghan has stopped to help Arden, he tucks his flags under his left arm so that he can applaud Meghan's sportsmanship.

There were three or four other officials standing nearby, and not one of them raised an arm to wave a flag to DQ them. They all recognized a sportsmanlike act when they saw it, and probably realized that DQing the runners would not change the significant race results.

BRAVO to Meghan!!! And good going to Arden for understanding Meghan's intentions and graciously accepting her assistance.

I'd suspect there are an equal amount of good Christians and compassionate atheists (and people from all other walks of life) who saw Meghan Vogel's act as the epitome of kindness in the moment if competition. The cynicism and hate of some here isn't indicative of religion, but a lack of faith, whether it be of God and/or fellow humanity all too common online where sideline commentary steers the focus away from the beauty of a rare moment to the all too common pettiness of anonymous thread hijacking. I'd also guess most of those who were claiming foul have never endured a competitive race, let alone revealing they may have checked out of the human race a long while ago.